Just 140 nautical miles to go until Cape Verde! We'll be pulling into port tomorrow morning, ready to hit the ground running with our list of tasks. Yesterday, we made a respectable 136 nautical miles in 24 hours thanks to a light following breeze that gave the Volvo a bit of a hand. We're now less than 1200 nautical miles from the equator, and surprisingly, the tropics haven't quite arrived. Nighttime still necessitates long pants and sleeves. One thing I'm very much looking forward to in Cape Verde is doing a fuel burn calculation. Early indications are that we're making some seriously economical miles! Running on just one engine at 1800 rpm, with some current and a following breeze, we're averaging around 5 knots. My guess is the fuel burn is around 3 liters per hour, which would translate to a range of over 2,000 nautical miles in similar conditions after we top up in Cape Verde. That's fantastic news! If we have to do any 'serious' motoring this range will likely be halved or even less.
We were initially a bit worried about the fuel we transferred to the water barrels, fearing it might slosh around too much. So, we only filled them to about 70 liters each, out of a 125-liter capacity. Thankfully, a closer inspection during our travels revealed minimal movement. We're now comfortable adding another 30 or 40 liters each. Plus, we've decided to repurpose one of the emergency water jerry cans for extra fuel, giving us some additional peace of mind.
With the main water tanks now separated, we feel much more secure on the water front. On top of that, we have around 30 bottles of water and a 20-liter can, so hydration shouldn't be a concern.
Cape Verde, here we come! Here's to a smooth arrival, a successful pit stop - fingers crossed for the sailmaker!